Ecuador has suspended school in four towns near the Tunguarahua volcano as ash spews 2 1/2 miles (4 kilometers) into the sky, damaging crops and endangering the health of nearby residents.Authorities are urging people to cover their mouths and noses with masks and shut windows amid the furious venting of Tunguarahua that began Monday.The state Geophysical Institute said Tuesday that lava is flowing from the summit caldera down the flanks of the 16,480-foot (5,023-meter) peak. The volcano is 85 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of Quito.The Education Ministry says classesin the nearby towns will be suspended at least through Wednesday.Tunguarahua has been active since 1999. Its eruptions killed at least four people in 2006.
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